Automobile body construction



All@ 17, 1943. R. E. MARINE 2,326,789

AUTOMOBILE `BODY CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Jan. 14y 1921 INVENTOR IPatented Aug. 17, 194s Original application January 14, Y1927,' lSerialNo. 161,179. Dividcdand this application March 31, 1928, Serial No.7266

the customary practice to make the frontbody post, together withv theadjacent 'vertical end member of the windshield frame, ofsufficientlysmall combined cross-sectional area to provide full vision to thedriver. The advantages of a closed carfront body postv assembly havingsimilar characteristics have likewisebeen .gen-` erally recognized.However, because "of theY strength and rigidity required of such postsand the fact that the assembly contains an .added element-the doorpost-the desired result of fullr vision was not easily attained withouteither an impairment of the strength and stability of the several postsof the assembly and their joints or the use of stronger andmoreexpensive materials-such as bronze castings which are not adapted toquantity productionor both. i J

Prior practice has sought to obtain full vision in closed cal'rSbYreducing thecross-sectional area of the body 'post assemblyas much aspossible-in other words, by making the cir.- cumscribing circle as smallas practicable. Each element of the assembly was regarded as independentof the others and vvastherefore designed to sustain its own load. At thesame time each was reduced to the limitin size in orderthat theaggregate might be a minimum. .In some cases the body post was made tooweak to sustain its load under continued stresses and strains and inothers the vdoor post was made so thin that the air currents produced athigher speeds passed between Vthe body and door-posts and tain fullvision notwithstanding." More spe-L ciiically, my invention comprehendsbringing two opposite sides, respectively, of the crossfsectional areaof the postV assembly into alignment with the two corresponding sidesofthe A,blind angle subtended by the assembly :with the drivers eyes.

,349. In France January 15 Claims. 01; L29e- 237) Since theconvention-al bodypost assembly is approximately rectangularincrossf-section, with the two ffacesjof itsopposite sides insubstantial lalignment,; or parallel, l respec tively,., with thev opposite facesofthe corresponding side ofthe carbody, and with tliefaces of.A its'front andv rear; sides parallel Lto the instrument vpanel, 'andsinceeach of the two drivers lines ofvision past A' said assembly, makesan angle with thegiface of.V thecorrespondingside of said assembly,agenerally triangular-shaped space between each of said lines of visionand the corresponding face of the assembly results ,which Vconstitutes`Wasted space, `insofar asboth the drivers resultant field v of AVisionand Vthe strength ofthe postgis conf jApplicant, by extending the.cross-,sectional area of said conventional iormrof pQstiassemblyl= facross said triangularspaces -tobring twooppositeiaces of said postassembly inta-*alignment f Y respectively with Vsaid ,correspondingsides off/the blind ar`1gle,veryI l:materiallyy increases the-crosse" Ysectional area ofthe post assembly, an'dithereV fore its strength,Without any increase irixthev 1 obstruction yto the driversyision.v .Theresultant f great `increase' in strength permits reduction', of v thedimension of the post assemblytransversely to'the'driverfs linesfofvision toadggree neces-'- sary to .give full vision tothe drivenuwhileat"V thefsamev time it provides a'zbody postassembly of much greatercross-,sectional area and strength than other full visionpostassemblies, Moreover',v by extending this `areafin-the direction ofthejlines of vision of the drivers efyes,whi1e still maintaining itssides in alignment with the; d rivers `'respective' linesof vision pastthem,the

cross-sectional area .fof y the postA assembly, i v`and therefore itsstrength can beiurther increased toV any desired'degree.

inasmuch a'sthe driverj directs 4his attention v primarily to the'road'vin front and under ordinary circumstances merely turns 'his eyes", andnot his. head, to glance to theright kor left vtocheck up oncrosstraine, his ,two eyes are.. nearlyv in alignment asregardsthe farfront body post assembly. Therefore, both eyes lie l substantiallyV atthe verter :of the blind angle subtended by s aidpost assembly.Withreference-to the near-frontbody fpsta'ssemblmon the other hand, thetwo eyes are not so nearly Vin alignmentand areV therefore in .-morefavorable position asiregardsfull? Vision. Hence,l since forvsakefof'lmiformitypof construction and design itmaybe desirable toinclineV vtheftwo assemblies' at. similar angles,

preference may advantageously be given tothe 2, angle most favorable tothe far post assembly, although it is obvious that any other expedientmay be adopted.

As a further fundamental and distinguishing feature of my invention thebody post is advantageously made the dominant or superior element of theassembly, as by causing it to conform in general outline tothe outlineof the entire assembly, vertical channels being formed therein for thereception of the door post and the Windbeen that the joints,particularly at the cowl and top, have had insufficient strength tostand the enormous strains imposed upon them. The effectiveCross-sectional area of the post is of course a vital factor indetermining the distribution of strain about the post joints; the largerthe eiective area the stronger the j oint. Prior shield end framemember, if employed, both oiH the latter being made inferior orsubordinate elements and normally lying preferably substan- K tially ushwith the sides oi the body post,

or at least the major part of their View obe structing portions lyingwithin said -vchannels.

Thus a maximum of strength is impartedtogi the body post, While the doorpost, sincer itVV is protected in closed or normal running` positionwithin the channel in the body post, also partakes. of thetrength of.the latter.. This.' is in marked` `contrast to awconstructionwherein thedoor-lend frame member or post isrmade the dominantior superior. elementand the body post is madetheinterior. or subordinate element'y and ishidden by thedoorpost. Herethebod-lIl post lacksv adequate strengthfor-closed car.l con-Y A structions since the door post, not beingfixed.rel-1 ative/.vtoL the bod-y construction, imparts nostrength tothe bodypost. Moreover, whereA thebody-postL isi of vflattened closed: Vmetallictubular construction,v aslis advantageous for production operations, thevertical 'channels serve ascorruf gations greatly strengthening thestructure .whileat the same time the space Within the tubularv postwhich would otherwise be wasted is utilized Vvtofiteduce the dimensionofthe assembly tra-nsverse-etothelinevof the driver-s vision.

, Itis ofcourse obvious'that the channelledcorrstructionof my post wouldbe ofgreat util-ity even'wre the post? not given a diagonal position"alt- Vong-huit iindsi-ts kgreatest utility in the coopve1"`:}1. t`iv'erelationsh-ips existing in such arrangement?. f

atftlie` lower-f ofthe posts, arch connections preferably` beingprovided` at the corners to in-l Y crease strength, (My-body posttherefore acquires astrengtlr longitudinally and laterallyof :the vcarsidescomparablejto that of an ordinaryA rectan-f gularpostof which mine4would constitute merely a diagonal'portion substantially of the shapeofa5para livellograin.` 'The rectangular postl or post assembly ofn theprior'art presents its Outer side to an observer on the exteriorjof thecar and thus gives the impressioniof relative narrowness and weakness,while'at the same time the diagonalof thpost'transverse tothe driversline of vision, whilrisj off materially greater length; obstructsthe-driVers viewQto ama-Xirnumdegree; Inrny construction theseconditionsv are reversed1 since the ou'tsidel observer usually seesthediagonally` arranged post, or long side of the parallelcgram inlconjunction with its 'outer side, and therefore receives theA impressionof greater width and` therefore strength, whereas the. driver viewsthepost longitudinally andl his vision'is'obstructed to aminirnum degree'.

` jA :compelling diiculty heretofore militating against the `adoptionfofnarrow VvisionV posts- .has

art practice has heretofore Yassumed*that to improve visi'onthecross-sectional area of the post niust be reduced, thereby weakening thepost and its joints `below permissible limits. Thishas d necessitatedthe` use of solid posts and enlargements or special reinforcements atthe joints,

`vwhilel-fail'ingto adequately solve the problem. BY elongatingthepostin the direction of the diivers line ois irg lit,' I *inorease thecross-sectional area ithe pos-t insteadgof reducing it, while at thesame time reducing. its obstruction to Vision. By thenrmly securingT theincreased periphery of the post to the metallic side and front top andcowi'; rails;jointsioir any desired strengthvv areproduced .effecting a,new result. in rthis art and' rendering.V quantity production.practicable.

i .Y While I'hayeshownrtheseverallieatures: ot' my invention incooperative-V relationships wlIi-i'ch-'givemaximum eiiciencyv itiisrobyious. that they may be,` advantageously employed'. severallyinother combinations. Fnrzinstance it: has'` notbeenk an. preciatedethatby` constructing the forward-face ofi the assembly inw. alignmentwithttliiel kdri-'vers line-,oi sight-pastime post andlbylocating'theWindshieletiendrv frame; member behind-this line,

material-:improvement in vision would*resi-llt;` aslcontemplatedbymy.invgntion The. same. advantagesas -ega-fdsi,.rmri-vson.

may-be obtained?, if desired,` by-asimilarV treat--menit.otftliefntermed-iate-body posts.

- inventionrfurrther`v consists in;` such other newtandusefullimprovemen-tsg and: has' for'iur- -V ther obg'ects-suchother-operative --advantages and results; as obtaininconstructibnshereinaitei d'esc llbedlor claimed. 1 l

- Inthe accompanyingdrawing;forming a part or" this specification, andshowing for purposesl of' e'cemplifiriation preferrerzl` forms andmanners'in wtnchthe inyentionf'may be embodied and prac.- ticed'bu-twitlirout-limitingftlre claimed invention' toysuch-.instance{1r-instances:

. Figurer isaparti-'al side` elevation ofa car'b'ody embodyingtneinvention Y Fig-ure 2 isla-frontelevation showing tlie'fi'ont Stationary:may posts,l tcp` side rans- 'topv front. rail andl'cowlrai-lor"fra-ine.'Y

postVi shownfinFigure- 3.' Y :rieures attirano-'7 are-views simiartorieures oimodied forms'of theipost anditlieviadjacent; members. I

fFigure 0r-'is' a`V cross-section. on,l thafl'n'e (8e-8i ofFig1pl1eZandA j i Figure; l'is'a diagrammatic vi'ew illustratingtheprinciple of: design'` of thecontour ofcross-sec-z tion Aof"the'1:\ostsandi their connectionsftolthel part of the post cross-section projectssubstan tially beyond the lines 2, 3 enclosing lthe angle.

As the driver is ordinarily `nearer one front post than the other, thisprinciple of .design strictly requires a slightlydiiferent/anglefor eachpost, but as it is ,usually desired to have similar posts; both postsmaybe advantageously Yadjustedto the proper angle forthe far post,sincewhen desirable the head can berreadilymoved .to bring the eyes intoalignment with thenear post.

In Fig.; 3, the post 4 is a closed hollow sheet metal structure of.substantially parallelogram form in general outlineV havingY a-cross-section profile elongated in the direction of thedrivers vision,the sides 5, 6 substantially coinciding with the lines 2, V3 of theangle A or B. A channel-'l in the side accommodates .the door side frameor post- 8, which together .with the. guide- 9 :for the` window Il-mayconveniently lie Withinthe recess l, thus'offering no obstruction tovision. The wedge-shaped constructionof the recess 'l and door post 8permits close fitting of the two! without danger of misalignment. AThehollow metal post l may contain on. its interior' Wood or otheranti-,vibration material l.

The window il slides infa door I2" which is hinged at i3 to the post 4.The'front side of the post il may be flattened as shown at MWhich thepost crosssection contains a o channel 15a slightly set back from thefront'face ofthe -post' x curved ,downwardlyto said post as shown at 33"l which channel I5ad accommodates the frame or i packing I6 of thewindshield l1.

Figure 5 differs from Figure 3 only in that channel for the door frameSis located Yfur'- the' ther outwards and extends to the outer contour ry 4 5, preferably tubular (Figures 1 and 2) with corof the vehicle bodyso thatfthe channel is-single sided.V This construction gives theappearance 'of continuity to the rectangular door Vframe I"as viewedfrom the outside and also permits the door to be hinged at its rearedge, rif desired. The channel I5 for the windshield'fra'me i6 is alsoshown as a single-sided channel, the frame |65 having its front -faceinsubstantial' alignment with the front face of the body post. Y

The construction shown in 'Figure 6` dilfers from that of Figure 3mainly inthat the wind`` shield is moved forwardly, .the recess I5 andthe .Windshield frame I6 'being made of triangular cross-sectioncontour, as shown, in order topreserve the alignment;r of opaque'members with the drivers line of vision. Y

In the modication shown in `Figure I the door may open at its front end,asshown. The cross- Y sectionY of the` body post is of irregular Z-shapecomprising an intermediate Vportion lSfa'n inner advantageously tubularvportion I9, preferably welded closed, and an outer tubular portionZli,the portions I9 and 20 beingon the opposite sides of the intermediateportion I8. The door side frame 8"' is of triangular profile incross-section Windshield frame lIf vision. The dotted, lines 22, 2324,25 indicate a corresponding rectangular construction of front post andend door frameand it will be seen that the obstruction offered by suchan assembly would correspondto the angle made by the lines 26, 21extended to. thedrivers eye, Whereas ,with .the-

construction illustrated in Figure 7 the obstructed angle corresponds tothat between the lines 28, 29.

In Figure 8 isshownthe top cross rail '40 prefe Y erably providedwith awindshield frame abut-` ment portion 4I and a tubular portion 42desirably having its ,edge 43 welded to the abutment portion 4 I, wherefeasible, to give added strength.

The Vside toprail (lli` is preferably tubular and of ,a widthksubstantiallyequal to the distance betion 32 restupon the top of said,post and firmlysecured to the latter about its periphery-as' by Welding,riveting, or the like. The flat inner portion 33 of the side rail 30'is'also preferably rmly secured Yte the side l5 of said post,as byweldingY or riveting, and saidgportion V3,3 may valso'be tangular posts,of the dimensions shown in dotted lines 46, 41 Vin Figure 9, Aof whichthe actual posts are the di'agonals.k ,Y l l The posts 4 arealsopreferably similarly connectedY together at `tl'ieirmid portions by therail ner braceportions 45 and are also rmly secured I at theirlower endsAto thefloor frame. i y 'I'hisapplication is a division of myapplication Serial No, 161,179, filedJanualyli, 1927.

j WhilefI have'sometimes used the conventional term blindangleto-designate, and the conventional angle to d iagrammaticallyyillustrata' the space between saidrespective lines of the drivers visionpastjthe respective sides of the post and when the door is closedit liesin the channel Y mediate portion I8 is open at 2| and constitutes 75assembly, it is to be understood thatthey are e'm- I ployedforconvenience.of'desoription only, and'4 that in actual practice theprinciple of my invention is concerned onlywith the relationship ofValignment between; ,two opposite sides of the cross-sectional area ofthe post assembly andsaid respective lines of lvision, as said lines infact vac..v

tually exist in the region of the assembly, rather thanas conventionallyshown.,

While in accordance with the patent statutes,

I have disclosed the best modes contemplated by meofapplying thefundamental characteristics l of my invention, I donot wish to belimited to the particular modes given as illustrative examples but aimto ycover all equivalent modes of rap- I e Y y plying thesecharacteristics, both` asrto `the combinations andas to thesub-combinations-dis-` u Idosed.

Y I claim:

1.r In a vehicle construction in combination: a body post having a facein alignmentwith the drivers line of vision past the same, said facebeing provided between yits inner andk outer edges a guide forthewindshield l1 mounted-in ther -The rear side of the windshield frame |B'-may be extended inwardly, as shown, without interfering with thedrivers It will thus be-seen that the rails 3lland40 `brace the'posts 4and impart. Vto -them a strengthapproximately that of receA

